


Jake's Way

by marchellantoniette



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: M/M, jake has a lot of feelings, jake is hurting, nate has a lot of secrets, slowburn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-07 18:02:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14086533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marchellantoniette/pseuds/marchellantoniette
Summary: “Oh yeah well piss of Lambert, and your little sowing club too. I don’t need you as a friend or as a co-pilot. I can do it myself! I can do everything by myself!”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So first and foremost I've never watched the original Pacific Rim and only watched Uprising because of John Boeyga so I don't know all the terminologies, so please keep that in mind. Also I'm not too confident in this, but its been on my mind for the past 48 hours so I had to get it out. If y'all like it I might continue it. Also if you like it or wanna talk about it, my tumblr is @/ carpedemiabelair

_I’m not my father. I’m not my sister._

 

That’s all that plays on repeat in Jake’s head, as his father turned to leave him on the tarmac after he was dishonorable discharged from the program. Of course he tried to get the reason why, he did what he did out of him, but Jake wouldn’t budge.

 

“If you just tell me why, maybe we can figure another way around this Jake. Talk to me.” Stacker Pentecost stood in all his glory in front of his son Jake; both looking highly unimpressed with one another.

 

“Like I’ve said for the 100th time, I did it to prove I could do it. That’s it!”

 

“You could have been killed. You know how dangerous and borderline impossible it is to pilot a Jaeger of that magnitude by yourself, Jake!” Mako bit out as she walked into the small, now even smaller cabin, arms crossed with a hint of sadness on her face.

 

“Borderline, being the keyword.”

 

“You think this is funny? You think that fiasco is a joke? You putting not only your life, but the lives of the other cadets and people on this base in danger because you have something to prove. What if you  accidentally set something off? What if there where people down there when you passed out, and that Jaeger came crashing down?”

 

“I wouldn’t have gone up there, if there where people down there dad, I would have-”

 

“You would have went and done something else as foolish and negligent! This can’t be swept under the rug Jake, you will be held accountable.” Stacker turned to Mako, and places his hand on her shoulder. “You try and talk some sense into him.”

 

He turns to leave and the sound of his footsteps echo inside the room. Jake’s eye rimming with tears, but he’s too prideful to allow them to fall. His hands are enclosed in fist at his sides, as his chest heaves.

 

Mako doesn’t touch him. Not because she doesn’t care or is bad at feeling but because she is perfect. Reading people and situations, comes as natural to her as breathing. So she just stands there, against the wall and waits. She knows her brother, and knows he needs his space. She can read him like the back of her hand. She’s perfect.

 

And at times Jake hates her for it. It's hard to compete. He’s him and she’s _her_. The prodigal daughter. But when his mind takes him there, he always realize that at times, especially now with what happened with Nate, she’s all he’s got.

 

“I-I’m sorry. Really I am.”

 

“I know.”

 

“He hates me.”

 

“No, he hates the decisions you make.”

 

“I can never please him anyways…”

 

“And you thought piloting a Jaeger, by yourself would make him happy?”

 

“No! I...I wasn’t thinking. Or I was thinking too much?”

 

“About what?”

 

 _Nate_.

 

“Nothing!” Jake shouted it. He didn’t mean to honestly but, it just came out. Mako noded her head and walked towards him and gave him a hug. She turned to his ear and told him,”I can’t make you tell me baby brother but, when your ready to tell me I’ll be waiting.”

 

Jake never got a chance to tell her, because when he awoke the next morning he was being shipped off. They didn’t even give him a chance to plead his case; not that he really would have seeing how teenage angst isn't a good enough reason to do what he did, plus he had no intentions of telling anyone but Mako what happened anyways.

 

I mean what was he supposed to do? Walk into that room of high ranking officials, let alone his father, and tell them his co-pilot/roommate was his sorta kind of “boyfriend” or “friends with benefits” and he broke his heart? That he overheard Nate talking to his douche upper rank friends about him. That he’ll never be like his dad or sister. That he’s just coasting by, on his name! A name he never wanted in the first place. A name that cursed him!

 

_“You lot sure do have a awful lot to say about me. I don’t imagine any of you want to say that to my face now do you?”_

 

_“Don’t mouth off to me cadet, your hot sister isn't here to come save your ass.”_

 

_“Don’t insult my sister by thinking you pose any threat to her, and don’t call her “hot” you mutant you don't stand a chance.”_

 

_“Jesus Nate, how can you stand to be near this magot?”_

 

_“He manage just fine, so why don’t you lot just run along and stop bothering him.”_

 

_“How about we let him decide. Nate, choose.”_

 

_“Oh my god, are you guys done with your pissing contest? Are you done? We’re not five years old, I can have more than one friend.”_

 

_“Yeah but I’m more than just a friend.” Jake said, with a shit eating grin on his face._

 

_“Ohhh, you're more than just a friend. Get a load of this boys, Nate got himself a boyfriend. I’m sure your father will love to hear about this. Has Nathaniel here invited you over to his family's ranch out in Oklahoma Jakey?”_

 

_“Actual he has, and don’t call me Jakey you twat.”_

 

_“He is not my boyfriend, hes just being weird!”_

 

_“How the hell, am I being weird?”_

 

_“Oh no, looks like the lovebirds are fighting.”_

 

_“We are not fighting!” “We are not ‘lovebirds’!” They yelled at the same time. Both cadets wearing looks of confusion, hurt and...embarrassment._

 

_“We are not lovebirds, were just roommates okay. I couldn’t help that I winded up stuck with him, we got assigned together. And I also can’t help that we can drift together. I only hung out with him, because I felt sorry for him since nobody else likes him.”_

 

Hearing Nate say those words was the second most painful thing he’d ever experienced after the death of his mother. It didn’t make sense to him. His brain couldn’t make sense of the lies, that Nate had told them, because that what they had to be is lies.

 

They’ve cried together. Mourn together. They where each other’s first kiss. But maybe they weren’t lies, and Jake was just there for the taking so why not let himself be engulfed by Nate.

 

That's when the angry set. When the blind fury of being a joke, and of being used to over and Jake decided to do the one thing he’s better at doing then any Pentecost before him: be a dumbass.

 

_“Oh yeah well piss of Lambert, and your little sowing club too. I don’t need you as a friend or as a co-pilot. I can do it myself! I can do everything by myself!”_

 

And that’s what led to him, attempting to pilot that damn Jaeger and failing terribly. Well not _that_ , terribly because he did technically make _two_ steps which had never been done before(that he knew of).

 

So here he is now aboard this transport, on his way back to England to stay with Aunt Bertha until his father can come up with something better. They land and he scours around transfer station until his flight comes in, and he looks to the monitor that’s showcasing all hot new destinations. Paris. Gwangju. Napal. California.

 

California.


	2. Nate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate's point of view of what happned when Jake fails in the Jaeger. Also some background info on Nate and how he was rasied. Also Jake's and Nate's first kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some background and filler content. I'm sorry but I've been listening to Toto for three days straight so their music makes a cameo.

_I can’t believe I did that. I can’t believe I said that._

 

That’s all that runs through his head as he saw Jake run off, while his so-called friends, the people he was trying so hard to impress, laugh about it.

 

He’ll let them cool off is what, he kept on telling himself. That somehow he’ll be able to fix it because he knows that Jake never stay mad at him, right? That he didn’t wholy  fuck up too bad right? He just needs time to realize that all little too late.

 

He finds out about Jake's stunt, or better yet hears while he was sitting alone in the mess hall. The sound of a Jaeger crashing down onto the ground, kind of  rocks you to your core. Cadets and Marshall run out thinking the worst; are we under attack? Are the Kaiju here?

 

Only to find Sargent Pentecost and Mako, running to the Jaeger and his heart stops because he knows.

 

He remembers everything Jake had last said to him, and the lies he told Jake and those assholes.

 

Jake was in there and he could be hurt, he could be fucking dead!

 

He ran towards him even though, he’s sure he’s the last person Jake wants to see but he has to make sure he’s alright. That he’s alive.

 

He doesn’t make it too far before everybody is ordered back to their posts and rooms. He sees the torn and terrified look on Mr. Pentecost’s  face, and he sees Mako trying to keep it together as a medic rushes into the scene.

 

His stomach dropped and his heart hurt. Hurt because it’s filled with guilt. It’s all his fault.

 

Why’d he have to be so afraid? Why’d he be cursed with such a shit and ignorant family?

 

You’d think with the world in a constant battle with these extraterrestrial creatures, things like sexuality what take a seat on the back burner but not for his family. Not for his father.

But he can’t hate his father completely. A rough and tumble no nonsense cowboy from the country, who wanted his son and his last name to be etched in stone to battle in this final frontier. God knows if there was anyway for his father to be in his place he’d take it in a heartbeat.

But without his father deciding who and what Nate was gonna be, he would have never made it here or met Jake. He’d be feeding cattle and fixing miles and miles of fence.

He’s never knew he wasn’t alone in wanting to hold hands with another boy, or to not feel ashamed to want to kiss one.

 

Jake was so free and nonchalant about it, he damn near had a brain aneurysm when he’d go off on how hot the guys around base where. He didn’t make he feel like a stupid cowboy, from the Midwest. Didn’t make fun of him, when he’d wake up crying from a nightmare. He was just Nate, to Jake. A friend.

 

A friend with a crush. Nate with a huge crush on the Sargent’s son, and he was screwed.

 

At least that was what he thought, until the night they decided to sneak away during dinner and chill in their secret spot.

 

_Nate had been waiting there over 45 minutes(not that he was counting) before Jake finally showed up dragging some sort of case?_

 

_“What’s that? And where have you been? I was about to say forget and head back in.”_

 

_“Nice to see you too. And this is a fossil. It’s called a record player, people used to play huge discs on them and it’d play music.”_

 

_“Cool! I think my grandpa had one of those in his attic. What type of ‘records’ do you got?”_

 

_“One of the best songs ever, on a pretty decent album! It’s from these old decrepit dudes called Toto, and the song is called ‘Africa’. It’s iconic bro, it even went number one!”_

 

_“Cool...I heard of them though.”_

 

_“You never heard of Toto? What do you guys listen to out there in the sticks? Country?”_

 

_“Well yeah...”_

 

_“Dude I thought you were joking. Ugh! Anyways don’t worry mate, I’m gonna educate you now get up.”_

 

_“For what?”_

 

_“To dance, clearly. Now I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you have no natural rhythm, but just listen and do what feels right okay.”_

 

_“Screw you man.” Nate said smiling hard, as he hops up and moves towards Jake._

 

_And Nate’s a pretty honest man, so he couldn’t be to mad at Jake because he can’t dance. He never even attempted to learn how to line dance, so this was gonna be a experience._

 

_Nate rocked back and forth and moved his arms, and he looked like a idiot. He was well aware of this, especially since he could clearly see Jake trying to hold back a laugh as he moved fluidly in front of him. Man what couldn’t he do?_

 

_“Look, stop thinking so much and just move. Just let it flow through you; sorta like drifting right?” Jake said as he moved closer and placed his hand on Nate’s chest to halt him._

 

_“Oh yeah? I’d love for you to try and sell that to your dad. Who knows maybe your pitch will make more people want to enlist?”_

 

_The two where cheesing at each other, and Jake still had his hand on his chest and he didn’t want him to move it. Maybe that was the first sign, that he was in a bit too deep._

 

_That’s a lie._

 

_“Hold on let me restart this song. It’s so good huh. Back then when times were simpler. When all people cared about was hair spray, ugly headbands, and Bill Clinton.”_

 

_“I’m pretty sure Jimmy Carter, was president, but okay.”_

 

_“Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, they’re practically the same person. But that’s not the point, the point is that Toto are American icons and we must do the song justice. Now come here.” Jake loosely grabed Nate waist and lightly pushes him side to side. “You just gotta sorta of sway; just move from side to side and when you really feel the beat you add a little flavor.”_

 

_“Flavor? Jake I’m pretty bland; like applesauce.”_

 

_“I love applesauce.”_

 

_Nate couldn’t help but to turn red, and for the first time he didn’t necessarily hate it. Looking back he realized just how cliched and intimate that moment and comment was, and it made sense to what happened next._

 

_“O-okay then what are you? If I’m bland applesauce, what are you?”_

_“Uh, probably salsa or maybe a ultimate sundae with fifty different toppings. Ya know something really flavourful, and utterly delicious.” Jake said staring off into the sunset, in faux deep thought. Nate leaned forward and placed his head on his shoulder, while they still swayed off beat to the song in the back._

 

_Without even realizing he’s done it, Nate presses his nose into Jake’s neck and takes a deep breath. He smelt like soap, and a hint of his dad’s expensive cologne. It felt like Nate had never smelt anything as good as this before. He batted his eyelashes against his throat, and turned to face him._

 

_“You know I’ve never, had ice cream with toppings.” He murmed to Jake._

 

_“What! How is that possible? What type of life were you living in America, because it’s starting to sound more barbaric the more you talk about it.”_

 

_“Strict parents...what can I say? Maybe we can sneak into the mess hall later tonight and you can make me on.”_

 

_“That’s a no go, me and a few other lads killed that off earlier. Won’t be getting any back in until the end of the month.”_

 

_“Is that why your breath finally doesn’t stink? It smells cavity indosingly sweet.”_

 

_“I’ll have you know my breath never stinks, and yeah I guess that's why. Hey,if you wanna taste an ultimate sundae you might as well kiss me, and have a taste.” Nate had froze, and forgot about the music, the war, and everything else in the world._

 

_“I’m sorry!” “You mean it?” They both said at the same time. Both of their eyes were wide, and searching each other. There mouths open but nothing coming out._

 

_“I-I meant it, or I mean it...if you want me to.” Jake had leaned his head closer towards Nate’s head, his left hand now cradling his head._

 

_“I think I want you to, if you want to.”_

 

_“Be sure Nathaniel.”_

 

_“I’m sure, Jak-” He was cut of, by Jake’s lips crashing into his. It was everything and nothing like he expected. He expected to feel scared and ashamed, from the bullshit rhetoric his father would spew. He didn’t expect to feel real, and to feel free. He also didn’t expect the kiss to be over so soon._

 

_“So uh, t-that’s basically how sundaes taste and the basics of dancing.” The bravado and confidence drained from Jake, so much he couldn’t even keep eye contact. Not that Nate was any better._

 

_“Cool. Maybe we should head back; don’t want them having to come look for us.”_

 

_“Yeah man, you're right let's go.” Jake packs up the record player, and grabs Nate’s hand and they both walked off cheesing._

 

That was one of Nate’s favorite memories that include Jake, and after what happened with him and Jaeger it was one of the last. He kept expecting Jake to walk through the door, the entire time but he never came. Only a pair of officers who collected his things, but even then he thought maybe Jake talked his way into getting another roommate or room. He never expected him to get kicked out. But when he woke up the next morning, and headed into simulation training he started to hear the rumors.

 

Rumors, that he went crazy and finally snapped. That he mouthed off to his dad, and attacked other officers. Any and everything that you can think of. But they had to lying, there's know way Jake is gone or that he did anything near what they said.

 

He ran out in search for Mako, and begged for the truth and he got it. And for the second time in 24 hours his heart dropped. He was gone. Jake was long gone and it’s all his fault.

 

Gone to live with his estranged aunt, for god knows how long. At least that’s what he thought, but ten hours later he gets a visit from Sargent Pentecost himself, asking if he knew where he’d go. That Jake didn’t make it to his flight to London, that’s he’s nowhere to found. That he’s missing.

 

They later pull footage from the airport to see Jake make his way to opposite side of the airport to the western destinations. Sees him swap some poor sap’s ticket and make a bee line to board. And that’s the last the last they see of him. A day later a huge Kaiju pops up on the coast of Santa Monica and the attack to take it down wiped out half the city including the airport. There was no way to find him, and they where still clearly at war with these monsters.

 

They said Jake made his bed, and we have to carry on. That’s bullshit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter. The last chapter will be of them making amends, and figuring things out.


End file.
